Every Morland that could wield a needle was set to work during the days that followed Catherine's trip to town. The gown had to be completed. Catherine slept, awoke, hemmed and slept for five days before the dress began to take shape, it took much perseverance and some gratefully receive help from Sarah and her mother. "We shall finish this dress if it is the last thing I do!" exclaimed Mrs Morland hurriedly threading her needle, " Catherine love, do organise these things better in future so that we may not be rushed off our feet."
" And so that we may save our eyesight!" added Sarah struggling to see what she was doing in the dim evening light.
" Oh I am sorry" said Catherine earnestly,as she finally began to see the value of good planning, " I do hope it is worth the effort" she fretted, looking doubtfully at the beginnings of her gown.
By the end of the end of the week however when the dress was almost ready, it was elegant as well as pretty and beautiful without being too ornate. It seemed that Lady Allen may yet be proved to have the power of foresight and Catherine might be the best dressed person at the wedding. Lady Allen came in person to see the gown when it was finished and commended the work of the three seamstresses, she suggested a few alterations and minor improvements, some of which she even effected herself. All in all the gown was a triumph and Catherine eagerly awaited her opportunity of wearing it.
Eleanor's wedding drew ever nearer and Catherine began to experience a mix of feelings, one was inevitable excitement but she also felt anxious , partly on the account of her friend and partly for herself. She sincerely hoped that Eleanor had chosen a man that deserved her, Henry spoke highly of him, that was indeed recommendation, but James' words of warning made her nervous. Catherine's apprehension was this : Eleanor was a woman of great fortune ; her dowry must be very large and this could be a great incentive to a possible suitor. Some men might prize Eleanor's abundance of money more than her abundance of heart. In short, Catherine wondered if Eleanor's fiancé had beguiled her into believing that he loved her when in fact he was only interested in her money. This was a frightful consideration! However, Catherine was spared any further contemplation of it, for no sooner had Catherine thought of this than she realised its absurdity. A viscount might have his choice of women far richer and of finer families than Eleanor. He could only have chosen Eleanor because he truly and disinterestedly loved her, as Eleanor did him. This somewhat alleviated Catherine's worries but not her nerves. In a few days she must meet , once again, with the General who out of pure disdain had not set eyes on her for two years, added to this she must meet him as his future daughter, his son's fiancé. This alone was enough to make Catherine's heart beat quicken but it was not all that awaited her at Northanger Abbey. She would soon have to greet and and converse with Captain Tilney while remaining civil and composed. Though she had resolved to accept him as her brother in law,and said as much to Henry,now that the day that she would meet Captain Tilney approached Cathrine felt rather daunted.
To complete Catherine's turmoil was a lingering feeling of shame at the awful ideas she had cultivated when last at Northanger and she was determined to see the best side of the General this time.
Catherine's nerves did not lessen nor did her excitement. This is hardly strange since these two emotions never wish to be parted, and where there is one you will often find the other. Catherine continued in this state for the three days leading up to the wedding and all this time she was continually packing and unpacking and replacing her things in her cases, ready for her stay at Northanger. She also developed an unfortunate and unladylike habit of biting her nails which she tried her best to suppress but one advantage of Catherine's need to keep busy was that she was fully prepared when the day of the wedding finally arrived.
Catherine awoke early and the maid and Sarah helped her with her hair, she took a little longer than usual with her toilette and with great reverence slipped on her dress. Catherine glanced at herself in the glass when she had finished and she thought that she had never felt or looked so beautiful before and she was almost surprised at her appearance but Catherine was not vain and after a few seconds admiration she hurried downstairs. A light family breakfast was eaten during which Sarah and congratulated themselves on Catherine's gown and Harriet pronounced her to be a princess, which her brother George disclaimed, then followed a lengthy argument over the true definition of a princess. The horses were hitched onto the chaise and Catherine left for Northanger Abbey accompanied by Mathilda the maid who would see her safely there and then return.
The journey was long but Mathilda was an agreeable companion and much of the time was filled with merry conversation. In the chaise an irrepressible mood of excitement reigned. Mathilda was happy to see new sights around her and Catherine was eager to be reunited with her dear friends. She felt how wonderful it was to be so fortunate in her friends and family, to be travelling from a loving home to equally loving friends and in all the blessings of good health and high spirits.
Catherine felt perhaps as much felicity as it is possible to feel ,for what is better than to be content with the present yet hopeful for the future?
Eventually they reached the valley where the abbey lay and soon the tall walls of Northanger became visible through the trees.
The familiar sights awakened Catherine's memories and reminded her of long past feelings. Over there was the road she had travelled towards Woodston. Over there was Eleanor's favourite walk and over there was the window which belonged to Catherine's old room. Every sight brought back vivid memories of her former stay.
The Chaise passed through the great entrance and came to a halt on the drive to join the two curricles, one of which Catherine recognised to be Henry's, and five carriages which were already there. Catherine blushed a little at her comparatively inferior mode of transport, but who cares for carriages when one Henry Tilney is walking out to greet them. He had in fact been watching the courtyard from Eleanor's window for the last half hour waiting for Catherine's arrival and had rushed down the many flights of stairs as soon as he had seen the chaise.
" My dear Catherine, thank goodness that you are finally here," he said helping her down from the chaise . " I am not late am I," Catherine replied in panic,
" No, but my sister and father are in fits of nerves and it is driving me to distraction, it is enough to make one nervous oneself, I am glad of your help to sooth Eleanor and you can talk to me about something other than weddings."
" How can I refrain from talking of weddings when they are all I have been thinking of! Is Eleanor very happy? I have been so worried about her."
" She is delighted beyond description . Eleanor has been waiting for this moment for more years than I can remember, what you and I have suffered in waiting is nothing compared to what Eleanor and Collin have ."
Henry had up til now been in such confusion that he had not stopped to notice Catherine's appearance, but now that he was at leisure to look at her he was momentarily struck dumb at her beauty.
" What is it?" asked Catherine how feared that his gaze was the result of something untoward in her dress.
" Nothing, only how beautiful you are looking today. My dear Catherine I do believe you are almost perfect; you are sweet, generous and, as I now discover, the most beautiful woman in all of England. Your only fault is to value others more than yourself which ,in your defence, people who do not love you as I do may not count as a fault at all. But I must stop singing your praises for I am under strict orders to bring you to my sister immediately."
Numerous were the loving effusions, tender were the fond embraces of the two friends on their reunion.
" Oh dearest Catherine, how wonderful it is too see you, thank you for coming all of this way."
" It was nothing, I would have travelled the whole world over to see you again."
" Did you hear that Eleanor? " said Henry " If you should wish to move to Timbuktu you may do so without sacrificing any visits from Catherine."
" You must not tease her so! Catherine, be wise and break off the engagement now!" Eleanor laughed.
" Eleanor you have stepped over the mark!" Cried Henry with a mock air of seriousness " I shall find Collin this instant and tell him, most earnestly, to escape while he can! You shall lose the great Manor house, the money, the viscountess's title and all!"
" I should not care to lose any such things so long as I may keep the Viscount himself!"
" I do believe that Eleanor is victorious Henry." Said Catherine from the sidelines.
"Well, I suppose she may have the victory on her wedding day."
All three burst into laughter but Catherine and Eleanor ceased at the sound of General Tilney's voice. " Henry! Henry! Where are you Henry?"
Catherine looked horrified but Eleanor did not flinch, she was beyond her fathers power now, " Henry" she scolded " have you not told father that Catherine has arrived!"
" It slipped my mind," Henry lied, in truth, he did not want the first person to greet Catherine to be his father. "'I had better go and see what he wants."
" Should I come too?" Cathrine said rather meekly, half hoping that her suggestion would be declined.
" No, you stay with Eleanor." said Henry striding out of the door.
" Oh, Eleanor," cried Catherine fixing her friend with a most endearing gaze " I am so happy for you!"
" Thank you, I cannot quite believe that it is happening, I cannot believe that I am actually about to become Mrs. Collin Thornton. What a long time coming it has been, how unreachable ; how impossible it seemed but a year ago! We are so very lucky Catherine, we are both about to be joined inseparably to the people we love most ; to the people who love us most. We must appreciate our good fortune, we must think on all those countless people who have been disappointed ; who are alone, and we must feel ourselves blessed."
The two paused for a moment , perhaps one could say that they paused on the brink of happiness and then Eleanor broke the silence. "I cannot wait for you to meet Collin! I am sure you will like him."
" Oh yes, I am absolutely sure I shall, if you think so very highly of him. Pray, when will I meet him?"
" After we have been married, I shall introduce you."
" When you are Eleanor Thornton."
" Indeed! I am so glad that I am leaving Northanger before Henry for I should have been so lonely without him."
" But if we had wed first you might have stayed with us for as long as you had liked."
" You must come to Thornton Manor as soon as you are married! To think that you will soon be a Tilney and just as I will leave that name behind. 'Catherine Tilney' it sounds very fine does it not?"
Catherine thought it sounded very fine indeed, miraculous in fact and she smiled at the thought of it.
" It sounds almost as good as Eleanor Thornton." Catherine said and they broke into laughter again.